PlummusDucis’s Racial Public Order

This mod adds a scaling modifier to provinces depending on its public order value, based on which race you’re playing. It is the TW2 version of my Racial Public Order mod, itself based off Zarkis’s excellent Happiness Matters.

I took a long break from modding and in that time I’m honoured to see my ideas were kept alive by others in this wonderful community. Thus, if you want an alternative to this mod check out natesmz’s version here.

Whilst Total Warhammer 2 did bring back public order maluses and bonuses, it was only for the High Elves. But for the other races, everything works smoothly until the people are openly declaring rebellion, and this simply cannot do.

Where this mod differs from both vanilla and Zarkis’s mod though, is the effects of Public Order. A modifier on taxes is all well and good, but nobody’s going to pay extra tax just because they’re happy, and no good ruler would suffer their underlings not paying taxes without firm (and violent) reprimands. And even from a gameplay perspective, having my income fluxuate at such a whim I found annoying.

So I changed the modifiers in vanilla to be more in-line with the subtle, insidious erosion that an unhappy populace has…

But wait, surely unhappy dwarves act different to unhappy elves? Shouldn’t undead meat-puppets be unaffected by how annoyed the peasants are? And isn’t Bretonnia feudal, so can we even use public order to model dealing with uppity lords?

The answer is yes.

Check out the full changelog in the discussions page!

Most Races
No matter how happy a population is, they’ll surrender if they all die of starvation. However, an unhappy population would surrender sooner. Simples. This means sieges go a little faster, which makes waiting out the enemy a more viable decision for the attacker, but this isn’t a flat buff to attackers during sieges, as a smart ruler can circumvent it by keeping the people happy.

The changes to defending morale and enemy agent success chance makes weakening the foe through espionage a more engaging experience than simply attacking their coffers. Spies sewing dissent can level the battlefield, more befitting a subterfuge playstyle and asymmetric warfare. In addition, keeping a population happy allows a defender to better handle all those pesky agents the AI enjoys throwing at you, balancing their annoyance factor, and more volunteers to fill your ranks synergises well with the playstyle of a benevolent lord’s stable empire.

Empire
Humans are the most susceptible to the whisperings of Chaos, thus in addition to the general effects, citizens dissatisfied by the Emperor may start looking for someone else to follow. However, happy people will eagerly cooperate with the Empire’s Witch Hunters in rooting out such wickedness.

High Elves
High Elves are a proud people who would never surrender early to foreign invaders, though their troops aren’t without feeling, and like most races, would be less willing to defend a place they hate. In addition, other High Elves look down upon a king who’s abusing their kin, but if you prove yourself worthy of the title Phoenix King through protecting your people, others will bend the knee. Finally, Intrigue is an essential part of High Elf mechanics, and now it’s an essential part of their Public Order bonuses. The happier the populace, the easier you can find loyal spies and opportunities for subterfuge, but an angry province would be more uncooperative.

Lizardmen
Lizardmen have a very strong sense of divine duty that guides their society. However, it is not without its weaknesses. The Slann Mage-Priests must remain focussed on the magical forces which flow though their jungle, and can’t afford to be distracted by petty politics, silver-tongued spies, or rampaging armies. Having focussed Slann will greatly improve your magical potential, and help keep the gnashing teeth or whisperings of Chaos at bay, but a distracted Slann would inversely make these forces much harder to manage.

Dwarves
Dwarves are a stubborn bunch. They won’t surrender easier or fight halfheartedly just because they have a few too many grudges unsettled. However, a grumpy dwarf is a conservative dwarf. Dwarves who disagree with the High King’s direction will impede new developments, refuse to join expansionist expeditions, and return to more traditional technologies.

Vampire Counts (and Tomb Kings)
The peasantry are irrelevant to a vampire lord, but there are many gnashing fangs in the Midnight Aristocracy to keep happy. Disloyal aristocrats are more inclined to surrender, cooperate with foreign powers, or even snack on the odd peasant without permission. However, a happy aristocrat will have more time to philosophise and spread the blood kiss to those deemed worthy.

Tomb Kings are exactly the same, except of course don’t spread corruption.

Bretonnia
With Bretonnia, I wanted to simulate what it’s like to not directly control your holdings, trusting counts and minor kings with your dutchies and ducats. To represent this, an unhappy province can barely be called yours at all, offering little to no recruitment, replenishment, and income. You will have to work extra hard to fend off orc incursions, instead of seeing them as a chivalry and xp cash cow. On the plus side, loyal nobles will aid you out of their personal coffers in the defence of the lands, and their people will be happy to fight under your banners – whether that involves defending ramparts or dobbing in spies. Treat your nobles well.

To help with managing uppity nobles, if a settlement does turn foul (or if you just want to replenish troops quickly), self-raiding as Breonnia gives a massive bonus to unit replenishment. Take the farmers straight from the fields and into your armies! (Whether they want you to or not.)

Norsca
Norsca society is unruly at the best of times, and their public order bonuses reflect that. Whilst you could keep your towns very orderly allowing efficient taxing and construction, you could capitalise off civil unrest, unlocking increasingly powerful buffs for troops in that province as the people are whipped into frenzy. Just remember to pull them back from the edge of madness before they start turning on you!

Vampire Coast
The key to bein’ a good captain is always havin’ a safe haven for yer ship. If a port dislikes ya, don’t expect good prices when ya wanna resupply yer crew! Treacherous scoundrels may help yer enemies, and though yer own scallywags will find a way to do yer biddin’, don’t expect it to come cheap. But if a port proudly flies yer flag, its fences will pay a prettier penny for yer swag! As a pirate’s business is conducted through their coves, these effects are factionwide. So git plunderin’, expand yer turf, and stack them loot buffs! YARRR!

This mod shouldn’t conflict with any other mods, except obviously for mods which change or add public order effects.

I’ve had many excellent suggestions for new bonuses and maluses to spice up mechanics in the comments below, and you’re all welcome to keep them coming! I would like more ‘evil’ mechanics for low PO – I’m very pleased with the suggestions so far. I am working on a supply mod that radically overhauls stances, and I hope to add a few tricks for evil empires who wish to raid their own lands in there, which would compliment this mod nicely.

So please enjoy this mod and don’t forget to rate!